


Milk and Sugar

by fezwearingjellybananas



Series: DC TV Femslash Week 2017 [3]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: A pre-canon canon divergence, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, And mostly still a coffee shop au, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-08 16:37:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12258072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fezwearingjellybananas/pseuds/fezwearingjellybananas
Summary: It's Ronnie that takes them to Jitters the first time, but Caitlin keeps going back, which she swears is for the coffee and not for the wonderful waitress





	Milk and Sugar

"Well," Doctor Wells said. "I'm sure we'll be able to go back inside fairly soon."

"Sorry," Cisco said.

"Just make sure you test it outside next time." Doctor Wells went to talk to the firefighters.

"That went well," Hartley said.

"I'll figure it out," Cisco said.

"Before or after you burn the building down?"

"Leave him alone, Hartley," Ronnie said. "It's time for a coffee break anyway. Cait, you coming?"

"Coffee sounds nice," Caitlin said. 

"How about Jitters?"

"Where?"

"You'll love it," Cisco said. "Come on."

* * *

 

"Everything okay over here?" The waitress' name tag read Iris, and she smiled. Caitlin tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach. 

"Yes," Caitlin said. "It's, it's good, we're good."

"Great. Are these finished with?"

Caitlin nodded and passed Iris the empty mugs.

She watched Iris leave. Was it possibly for hair to be that perfectly curled? Or eyes to shine like that? 

"So," Ronnie said. "What do you think?"

"I might have to come back," Caitlin said.

* * *

 

"Welcome to Jitters, what can I get you?" Iris asked. "Oh, hi. You were here yesterday afternoon, weren't you?"

"Yes," Caitlin said. "Hi."

"It's nice to see you back so soon. What'll it be?"

"Medium latte? To go."

"Coming right up. I'm Iris."

"I'm Caitlin."

"Nice to meet you, Caitlin."

* * *

 

"Anyone would think you have a coffee addiction," Iris said, clearing up the table next to Caitlin.

"Am I in the way?"

"We're still open for another half hour. What are you working on? If you don't mind me asking."

"Not at all. My friend is trying to design a suit for firefighters, he's asked me to look over his methods of measuring vitals."

"Do you work with the fire service a lot?"

"No, Cisco just gets ideas. I'm a biochemist, I work at S.T.A.R. Labs."

"Where they're building the particle accelerator? Barry, my best friend, keeps talking about it."

"That's us. What about you, what do you do? I mean, I know you work here, but, um..."

"I'm studying psychology at the moment, and journalism. I'm halfway through a dissertation." Clearly Caitlin made a face, because Iris laughed, and gosh, she could listen that forever. "It's not that bad. Yet."

The door opened and a couple walked in. 

"I have to go, I'm sure I'll see you around."

"I hope so," Caitlin said.

* * *

 

Caitlin was used to visitors in her lab, mostly Cisco and Ronnie, Hartley occasionally. Cisco coming in and sitting in her stool wasn't a surprise.

He didn't say anything.

"Are you trying to hide that you're eating in my lab?" Caitlin asked.

"Why would I do that, I've seen your lab."

"You're being uncharacteristically quiet."

"And you're drinking a lot of coffee."

"I like coffee."

"It's all from Jitters."

"They make nice coffee."

"You've got a crush on the waitress."

"I do not."

"Fine. So, you want to stop by Jitters after work?"

* * *

"Did you always want to be a doctor?"

"Always," Caitlin said. Jitters in the evening was a good place to work. At least, that's what she told herself. Iris being there was just a bonus. "Both my parents were. What about you?"

"I wanted to be a cop, like my dad and granddad."

"So why not apply?"

"I did, but Dad didn't take it well, so I withdrew. He's always been protective, maybe overprotective at times, he's seen enough to be worried about me."

"But if he works for the police, isn't that hypocritical?"

"Maybe. We can both be unbelievably stubborn though. Barry can tell you, he's been caught between us enough times, not that he's any different. I do love him though. He's a great dad."

"That's good," Caitlin said. 

"How's your friend's project going?"

"He's waiting for a time he can test it outside, he nearly set fire to S.T.A.R. Labs the other week, it's why Ronnie brought us here."

"I'm glad he did. You seem close."

"Ronnie's my best friend. I always had a routine before I met Ronnie, but he encourages me to try new things."

"He sounds like a good friend."

* * *

"So, have you asked her out yet?" Cisco asked. Caitlin glared at him. "I'll take that as a no."

"Have either of you seen Ronnie?" Hartley asked.

"No," Cisco said. "You're looking particularly grouchy today."

"I need to ask him something."

"I'm sure he's around," Caitlin said. "He was at lunch."

"Tell him I need to see him if you see him." Hartley disappeared again.

"So, this crush. Will you ask her out if I come with you?"

"She's at work."

"But you're saying if she wasn't at work, you would?"

"What?"

"Nothing. You'll see."

* * *

Caitlin didn't see, because Hartley was escorted out the building. Cisco shrugged, Ronnie frowned, and Caitlin went after him.

"What's going on?"

"I've been suspended."

"Why?"

"I believe the excuse is corporate espionage, pending investigation."

"You?" Cisco said. "You're the golden boy, that's like trying to claim you're the Arrow."

"It's late," Ronnie said. "Why don't we go to Jitters."

"I'd rather not," Hartley said.

"So you can explain and we can help you," Caitlin said.

* * *

Ronnie held the door open for them, and Iris waved from where she was collecting mugs. 

"You're looking a little flushed," he whispered. 

"Don't you start," Caitlin muttered back. She found a table. "Well?"

"I don't know why you're pushing so hard," Hartley said.

"Because you're our friend," Cisco said. "Doctor Wells has obviously made a mistake."

"No, he made that very clear."

"Did he threaten you?" Ronnie asked.

"What?" Cisco asked. Hartley didn't say anything. "Hartley."

"The accelerator has a flaw."

"I'm going to get coffee," Caitlin said. She walked over to the counter.

The door opened, and a tall man walked in. Iris hugged him, then came over.

"-day?"

"Great. I wasn't disastrously late, Captain Singh didn't yell at me, Joe didn't give me that look, and Eddie laughed at my joke."

"Hi, Caitlin," Iris said. "Barry, this is Caitlin."

"Oh, hi," Barry said. "Iris has told me all about you, it's nice to meet you."

"You too," Caitlin said. 

"I'll make your coffees," Iris said. Caitlin ordered for the others and Iris went behind the counter. "When do I get to meet Detective Pretty Boy?"

"Probably whenever you next visit C.C.P.D.," Barry said. "I'm not stopping you."

"Who's Detective Pretty Boy?" Caitlin asked. 

"Detective Eddie Thawne, he transferred from Keystone a couple of months ago."

"And why Pretty Boy?"

"Barry talks in his sleep," Iris said. "Your coffees."

"Thanks," Caitlin said.

"Do you want some help carrying them?" Barry asked.

"Thank you."

He picked two of the mugs up and Caitlin took the others.

"He can't do that," Cisco was saying. "That can't be allowed."

"Coffee," Caitlin said. "Thanks, Barry."

"Don't mention it, it was nice meeting you." Barry went back over to talk to Iris. 

"Who's that?" Ronnie asked. 

"Barry, he's Iris' best friend," Caitlin said. "Why is Hartley in trouble?"

"There might be a problem with the accelerator, and it could go wrong."

"We need to talk to Doctor Wells."

* * *

 

"Did you sort your friend out?" Iris asked the next evening. 

"Everything's been cleared up," Caitlin said. Ronnie had had Words with Doctor Wells first thing, and Cisco and Caitlin had made their thoughts on the subject quite clear as well. Doctor Wells had apologised to Hartley after that, and they were going through the plans again.

"That's good," Iris said. "Barry liked you."

"He seems nice. How did you meet?"

"We grew up together. Your friends seem nice too." 

"They are. Hartley and Cisco bicker a lot, but it's nice."

"You're nice too." Iris smiled and Caitlin could feel her cheeks flush. "Am I reading this wrong?"

"No."

"Is it okay if I kiss you?"

"I would like that very much."

* * *

 

"We're going out tonight," Cisco said, dropping into Caitlin's stool.

"I can't tonight," Caitlin said. He raised an eyebrow. "I have a date."

"You what? Hang on." Cisco disappeared, and came back a few minutes later with Ronnie and Hartley in tow. "Tell us everything. It's Iris, right?"

"Yes, it's Iris."

"That's good, I like her," Ronnie said. "So?"

"So, what?"

"So, did she ask you or..."

"I asked her."

"Told you so, Cisco," Hartley said.

"That was after she kissed me."

"What?"

* * *

 

"Wow," Caitlin said. Iris was in a mid-length yellow dress, and for a moment Caitlin forget how to speak. "You look beautiful."

"You do too," Iris said. "Shall we?"

Dinner was nice. Iris was incredible. It was all wonderful.

The next few weeks were like a dream.

Then the accelerator turned on, Ronnie died, Doctor Wells ended up paralysed, and Barry got struck by lightning, but that's another story

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the DC TV Femslash Week 2017 Day 3: Alternate Universe  
> (dctvfemslashweek.tumblr.com)  
> This was supposed to be a coffee shop AU but then I had an idea so now I guess it's a pre-canon canon divergence and I may or may not write more in the same universe who knows (I have a small sequel outlined, I cant say more than that yet though).  
> Also I'm pretty sure I've never been in a coffee shop and I know some types of coffee but I can't spell most of them and spell check kept saying "no recognised word" so in hindsight that may have been an important flaw in the plan of "oh I know, Iris works in Jitters in canon which is a coffee shop let's write a coffee shop AU".


End file.
